♫ How Can I Be Sure? ♫ (Redux)

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I really didn’t want to do a redux tonight, wanted to find something I hadn’t played before, but tiredness overcame me and I simply didn’t have the energy left to find and set up a new one, but hopefully you’ll enjoy this one.  Oh, and I did have functional headphones tonight, so was able to listen to all 3 versions!

This song was written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, and originally recorded by The Young Rascals for their 1967 album Groovin’ with a single release in August 1967 affording the group their fourth Top 10 hit peaking at #4 in the U.S.

The Young Rascals’ original version didn’t hit in the UK and the first time it charted was in 1970 when a revival by Dusty Springfield scraped into the charts at #36. Two years later David Cassidy, who was at the time along with The Osmonds the most popular teen idol in the UK, went all the way to the top of the British singles chart with his cover.

Since I have readers from all over the world, I decided to play all three … The Young Rascals, Dusty Springfield, and David Cassidy.  I have to confess that my headphones died in the middle of the first version and were still charging, so I did not get to listen to Springfield’s and Cassidy’s versions last night.  I love my wireless headphones, but I keep forgetting to charge them! Which version is your favourite?

How Can I Be Sure
The Rascals

How can I be sure in a world that’s constantly changing?
How can I be sure where I stand with you?

Whenever I, whenever I am away from you
I wanna die ’cause you know I wanna stay with you.
How do I know? Maybe you’re trying to use me.
Flying too high can confuse me. Touch me but don’t take me down.

Whenever I, whenever I am away from you
My alibi is telling people I don’t care for you.
Maybe I’m just hanging around with my head up upside down.
It’s a pity, I can’t seem to find someone who’s as pretty
and lovely as you.

How can I be sure? I really really really wanna know.
I really really really wanna know. Oh.

How can I be sure in a world that’s constantly changing?
How can I be sure? I’ll be sure with you.

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Edward J Brigati / Felix Cavaliere
How Can I Be Sure lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

47 thoughts on “♫ How Can I Be Sure? ♫ (Redux)”

  1. Snippet on ‘Our’ Dusty (The Lady is a UK National Treasure).
    A lot of folk notice those hand gestures as being a bit ‘too extra’ to her singing. Here’s how they arose, so the story goes from fellow legend Lulu.
    Dusty Springfield had a bit of a memory problem when it came to remembering lyrics of songs, so she wrote them on the back on her hand; hence the raised hand gesture, which eventually became to be expected as part of the Dusty act.

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  2. Yes, Dusty’s theatrics cracked me up. But, I knew the song most powerfully from being projected from a Magnavox stereo console in Mom’s living room, and that played to her vocals style. That Mom connection gives the Dusty rendition a slight edge. Hugs and cheers

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    • Funny how these connections are made, isn’t it? The only thing I remember my own mother playing was Frank Sinatra … and now, I love most of Sinatra’s work! Hugs ‘n cheers, my friend!

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  4. One of my favourite Rascals songs–they dropped the Young shortly after this song and became just The Rascals, as their music took on more serious and adult overtones. Nothing wrong with their earlier stuff, but it was fittingly bopperish at the start. I loved them. But with this, with album-mate Groovin’, and following songs, A Beautiful Morning and People Got to be Free, they showed their maturity.
    Reading about The Rascals I was very surprised to learn they were way bigger in Canada than anywhere else, including the US. They had a string of 9 or 10 straight #1 hits up here. I know they were one of my all-time favourite 60s bands, but of late they have passed out of my consciousness, probably because of my senior’s memory problems. Still, this is a great song even now. It will always be the Young Rascals version for me. David Cassidy singing this makes me want to puke!

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  6. I’ve never heard the Rascals version before. They rocked. I liked Dusty’s version as I always have despite the moves that were a bit dated even then. Least said soonest mended with Mr. Cassidy but I was never his target audience.
    Cwtch

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    • I’m glad you liked the song! I like most of Dusty Springfield’s work, but on this one it felt somehow overdone, and I far preferred both Cassidy’s and most of all the Rascals. No, as I think it was Clive said, Cassidy was playing to the teeny-bopper.
      Cwtch

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  8. Jill, I had to listen to this one. I had totally forgotten this was its name. It is a terrific song, regardless of who sings it. I love the Parisian street feel with its musicality. Keith

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  9. I’d not heard the Rascals version before, and I think it’s the best. Dusty Springfield was ok, but as I wasn’t a 10yo girl I wasn’t really interested in anything Cassidy did…

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    • That’s funny, for that was the only one I had heard until I first did this post! I typically like Dusty Springfield, but I thought she overdid this, as if she were pantomiming for a class of deaf 2nd grade children. I did like Cassidy’s, though not as much as the Rascals.

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      • Dusty was given a bit to the theatrics, wasn’t she? She’d come a long way since her start with her brother in the folk band, The Springfields. For me, Cassidy and the like weren’t ever likely to provide any enjoyment!

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        • Yes, she definitely was! I had no idea that she and her brother had formed a folk band before her solo career! No, I wasn’t a fan of David Cassidy, either, although my reaction to his version of this was not quite as extreme as rawgod’s!

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          • The group was a trio, the two of them plus another guy. They had a few hits in the early sixties. Her real name was Mary O’Brien, brother ‘Tom Springfield’ was actually Dion O’Brien. They were the first British group to have a US top twenty hit, allegedly. I can understand Rawgod’s reaction – quite a lot of weenybopper music of that time had the same effect on me 😉

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            • I had to look that one up … “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”, yes? Naturally, I had to listen, for the title didn’t ring any bells, and I do remember it, though it never made it to the top of my own playlist … too country for me, I think. Yes, I agree … I think the male reaction may be a bit different than that of females 😉

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              • That’s the one. Linda Ronstadt did a far better version of it around ten years later. Have you heard of the Australian group The Seekers? ‘Tom Springfield’ produced and wrote their records – they were hugely successful here from around ‘64 to ‘67. Not sure if they made it over there though.

                A lot of bad music is aimed at 10yo girls and their pocket money!

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